Face fully covered, the woman in black didn't need to say anything as she entered the Senate.

Senator Pauline Hanson pulls off the burqa. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Pauline Hanson had made her point.

The One Nation leader took her seat for Question Time wearing a black burqa, ahead of her motion to ban the garment due for debate later on Thursday.

The Queensland senator has rallied against the burqa since returning to Parliament last year.

Senate President Stephen Parry admitted there was not a lot he could do about the stunt.

Senator Hanson entered the chamber shortly after Question Time started at 2pm, eliciting groans from the chamber.

While media rushed in to cover the performance, senators from all sides did their best to ignore it, studiously avoiding looking in her direction.

They were forced to look her way when she dramatically shrugged off the garment to ask a question of Attorney-General George Brandis, calling on him to ban the burqa.

But the Attorney-General's response, in which he called the stunt "appalling" and both "counselled and cautioned" Senator Hanson for causing offence to religious groups, received an extraordinary standing ovation from Labor and the Greens.

Labor cheered as Senator Brandis said the vast majority of those who practiced the Islamic faith were law-abiding citizens

"No, Senator Hanson, we will not ban the burqa," he said.

Coalition MPs remained seated during the standing ovation.

After receiving her answer, Senator Hanson left the chamber, to calls of "good on you George" from Labor senators.